Xona Scales Satellite Manufacturing Operations With New Executive and Expanded Facilities

Xona Space is accelerating production of its Pulsar navigation satellite constellation, with six satellites scheduled to launch this month on SpaceX's Bandwagon-5 mission. The company has hired Waymo veteran Patrick Cadariu as chief operating officer and is expanding manufacturing capacity in California and Montreal, targeting the ability to build multiple satellites per week by late 2027. Next-generation satellites in production are 10% lighter than previous designs as Xona works toward deploying a full 250-satellite constellation.

Xona Space is transitioning from prototype development to mass production of its Pulsar navigation satellite network. The company's recruitment of Patrick Cadariu, who previously managed operational scaling at Waymo's autonomous vehicle division, signals a deliberate shift toward manufacturing discipline and efficiency. By establishing dual production hubs in California and Canada, Xona is creating geographic redundancy while tapping into Montreal's aerospace workforce and leveraging the symbolic heritage of Canada's early space program infrastructure.